Sole Power came from last to first to win the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot for the second straight year.

Sole Power storms home in the King's Stand under a smiling Richard Hughes

Edward Lynam's seven-year-old came with a wet sail under Richard Hughes to land the five-furlong dash at 5/1 and complete an early double for his jockey, also successful aboard Toronado in the opener.

Coming into the final two furlongs, only the lush Ascot turf was behind Hughes as favourite Hot Streak and Stepper Point made their bids for glory at the front.

But Hughes was clearly still travelling well and Sole Power made smooth headway before being switched to the far side.

He still had a couple of lengths to make up inside the final 200 yards but quickened up in similar fashion to last year's success, this time coming through and winning with a bit in hand without Hughes having to get too serious.

Stepper Point ran by far the best race of his career to take second for William Muir and Martin Dwyer at 50/1 with Hot Streak third and Medicean Man running his usual honest race in fourth to gain a little compensation for having to be withdrawn last time out in Singapore.

Hughes said: "I'm glad Johnny Murtagh retired as he's been giving this horse great rides all his life. I spoke at length with him about how to ride him and he said he'd be made for me.

"Things didn't all go right as I had to pull to the outside which you normally don't like doing, but I had that much horse under me I could have gone around them anywhere.

"He was the best horse, it's as simple as that, I had loads of room, I was about eight lengths off the pace at halfway and he was just waiting for me to press the button."

Lynam said: "He was the best horse in the race, experience has won him it.

"This horse has been lucky because he's never had a well-known trainer but he's always had a top-class jockey. That was his 17th run in a Group One and he'll have his 18th on Saturday (in the Diamond Jubilee)."

Muir said of Stepper Point: "I thought he was going to be my second Royal Ascot winner but then I thought 'where's Sole Power because he beats me every time'.

"We've been beaten three times by Sole Power, but we ran against Hot Streak in the Palace House and we were a head behind him so I was quite surprised he was 3-1 and we were 50s. I don't worry about that any more.

"He ran flat both times he ran in France but over the last three days he's been telling me 'I'm back'. I suppose he deserves a break but the owner's not afraid to run anywhere. He could go for the King George at Goodwood or maybe the Nunthorpe."